Sliding-door latch



Dec 25, 1928.

H. J. SPENCER SLIDING DOO R LATCH Filed Nov. 8, 1927 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

v W I 1 I 4 Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES HENRY J. SPENCER, OF WAGO, TEXAS.

SLIDING-DOOR LATCH.

Application filed November 8, 1927. Serial No. 231,943.

This invention relates to a sliding door latch, designed primarily foruse in connection with mail and baggage cars, but it isto be understoodthat a latch, in accordance with this invention can be employed for anypurposes for which it is found applicable, and the invention has for itsobject to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a latch of suchclass to securely fasten a sliding door closed, to securely fasten thedoor in a partly open position with respect to the door opening, at agiven distance from its closing point, to provide for ventilation whendesired, and to securely fasten the door in completely open positionwith respect to the door opening.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a sliding door latch, which is simple in itsconstruction and arrangement, strong, du-

rable, compact, readily installed, thoroughly efficient in its use,conveniently operated and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modificationscan be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereuntoappended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, in elevation, of the side of a carprovided with a door Cit opening and a sliding door and further show-,

ing the adaptation therewith of a door latch in accordance with thisinvention, and also illustrating in full and dotted lines the doorlatched in its several positions with respect to the door opening. 1

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 Figure 1. Figure 3 is a section on line3-3 Figurejl. Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 Figure 1. Figure 5 is asection on line 5-5 Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 de notes the sideof a mail,baggage or freight car, and which is provided witha door opening 2, Thebottom of the car is indicated at 3. Secured to the inner face of thesides 2, and positioned in proximity to one of the side walls of theopening 2, is a vertically disposed jamb 4 provided with a concavity,

intermediate its ends, as at 5. Secured to the bottom 3 and also to theside 1, and spaced a substantial distance from the other side wall ofthe opening 2, is a standard 6, spaced from the side 1 of the car andwhich provides a holding or locking element for a purpose to bepresently referred to. Connected to the inner face of the side 1 ofthecar is a track 7, having mounted thereon and depending therefrom a pairof hangers, trolleys or carriages 8 for the sliding door 9 and which is"of greater width and door opening 2.

Secured to the jamb 4 by holdfastdevices 10, is a keeper 11, providedwith a semi-oval shaped offset portion 12-which seats in the concavity 5and forms a pocket 13 having the mouth thereof of rectangular contour.The keeper 11 is of the same width as the width of tle j amb 5 and flushwith the side edges there- 0 Secured to the door 9, on its inner face,is a carrier referred to generally by the reference character14 andwhich not only slidably supports the latching bolt, to be presentlyreferred to, but also pivotally supports a locking member, tobepresentlyreferred to, for the latching bolt. The carrier 14 comprises arectangular base plate 15, secured to the door 9 by hold fast devices16. The base 15 at one end is flush with what may be greater height thanthe termed the leading side edge of the door 9, and said base 15 at itsother end, is formed with a vertically disposed right angular extension17 which is fiat andof substantial width, and which is secured to thedoor 9. by any the base 15, at the longitudinal center thereof andextending lengthwise of said base is a tubular offset 18, which providesa barrel in which is slidably mounted the latching bolt to be presentlyreferred to. The barrel 18 is formed with a lengthwise disposed slot 19and a pair of spaced notches 20, 21 which are of substantial width,disposed at right angles with respect to the slot 19, and with i thenotch 20 positioned in close proximity to the inner end and the notch 21positioned in close proximity to the outer end ofthe slot suitablemeans. Formed integral'with 19. The barrel 18 is ofthe same length as gthe length of the base.15.

the barrel 18 is a Slidably mounted in latching bolt 22,,whichpreferably is of cylindrical cross section, and is formed at its forwardend with a right angularly disposed locking nose 23, adapted to engagein the pocket 13 for securing the door 9 in closed position with respectto the opening 2.. The rear end of the bolt 22 is provided with a rightangular extension 24, which extends in an opposite direction withrespecttothe'nose 23 and said extension 24, which may be termed a protuberance,has one side thereof provided with a notch 25 for a purpose to behereinafter referred to. Secured to the bolt 22 is a right angularlydisposed handle member 27, adapted to be seated in the notch 20 or thenotch 21, fora purpose to be h reinafter set forth. The end walls of theslot. 19 arrest the shifting movement of the bolt 22 in eitherdirect-ion.

Pivotally connected to the extension 17 is a counterbalanced latchingmember 28, havingits lower portion 29 of greater width than itsupper-portion. The lower portion 29 is provided with a lengthwiseextending right angular-1y disposed flange which coacts with the notch25 to arrest the turning movement of the bolt 22. The pivot for thelooking member 28 is indicated at 31.

To close the door when-open, the handle 27, which is mounted in thenotch 20, is raised to clear the same and the door'9 is slid to abutagainst the jamb 4. Vfhen the handle 27 is shifted to clear the notch20, the nose 23 will depend and the protuberance 24 will be'erect. Afterthe door 9 has been brought into abuttingengagement with the jamb 4, thehandle 27 is lowered to seat in the notch 20 and which will turn thebolt, so that the nose 23 will engage in the pocket 13, and as thehandle 27 is mounted in the notch 20, the door will be securely fastenedin closed position.

If it be desired to partly open the door, to provide for ventilation,and to maintain the door in a partly opened position,the handle 27 isshifted clear ofthe notch 20, which swings the nose 23 clear of thekeeper 11. The door is then opened to the desired extent and the boltslid through the barrel 18 and the handle 27 is then positioned in thenotch 21, whicht-urns the bolt 22 so that the nose 23 will engage in thekeeper 11. This will position the door to provide for an open spacebetween it and the jamb 4. As the handle 27 is in the notch 21, the doorwillbe securely fastened in partly opened position. When the" door islatched in partly opened posi-, tion, before the bolt can be moved, sothat the handle 27 can be transferred from notch 21 to 20, the latchingmember 28 must be shifted clear of the protuberance 24, so that theprotuberance 24 can clear the flange 30.

lVhen the door is latched in a partly open position, the protuberance 24is arranged below the latching member 28, and if an attempt is made torelease thebolt 22, by shifting the handle 27 to clear the notch21, the

notch25 on the protuberance 24, will receive that the handle 27 can bemoved the desired extent in an upward direction to enable the nose 23 toclear the keeper 11.

When it is'dcsired to fasten the door in a complete open position, withrespect to the door opening 2, the bolt is released from. the keeper 11and the door slid rearwardly and the end. of the bolt 22 provided withthe protuberance 24 will pass between the locking element 6 and the wallof the car. The bolt- 22 is shifted rearwardly, so that the protuberance24 will be arranged rearwardly of the latching element 6, and when thehandle 27 has been mounted in the dotted line po sition shown in Figure1, that is to say the dotted line position to the left of Figure 1,

v the protuberance 24 will be arranged to abut against the-rear edge ofthe standard 6 and arrest an effort to swing the door or rather to shiftthe door 9 forwardly. To permit of moving the door forwardly,wl1en it isheld in a complete open positionwith respect to the door opening 2, thehandle 27 is shifted upwardly so that the protuberance-24 will clear thelatching element 6 and then the door can be swung or shifted to closedposition.

It is thought that the many advantages of a sliding door'lock, inaccordance with this invention can be readily understood, and althoughthe preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated anddescribed, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction can be had which will fall within the scope of theinvention as claimed. 7

What I claim is:

1. A sliding door latch comprising a keeper adapted to be secured to astationary support, a carrier provided interniiediate its ends withlengthwise extending slot, said carrier adapted to be secured to thesliding door, a latching bolt of greater length than and slidablymounted in the carrier, said bolt provided at one end with an angularlydisposed nose for engagement in the "ceper to arrest sliding movement ofthe door in one direction and provided at other end with an angularlydisposed protuberance adapted to engage with a stationary support spacedfrom thesupport to which the keeper is secured to arrestsliding movementof the door in the other direction, a handle extending through saidslot, connected to the bolt and providing means for shifting and turningthe latter, and said. carrier provided with spaced means for receivingsaid handlefor latching the boltin selected shifted position.

2. A ,-sliding door latch comprising a keeper adapted to be secured to astationary support, a. carrier provided intermediate its ends withlengthwise extending slot, said carrier adapted to be secured to thesliding door, a. latching bolt of greater length than and slidablymounted in the carrier, said bolt provided at one end with an angularlydisposed nose for en agement in the keeper to arrest sliding movementof: the door in one direction and provided at its other end with anangularly disposed protuberance adapted to engage with a stationarysupport spaced from the support to which the keeper is secured to arrestsliding movement of the door in the opposite direction, a handleextending through said slot, connected to the bolt and providing meansfor shifting and turning the latter, said carrier pro-vided with spacedmeans for receiving said handle for latching the bolt in selectedshifted position, and a pivoted latching member supported on the carrierat one end thereof and co-acting with said protuberance to preventrelease of the bolt from latching position until the latching member isshifted clear of the: protuberance.

3. A sliding door latch comprising a keeper adapted to be. secured to astationary support, a carrier provided intermediate its ends withlengthwise ext-ending slot, said carrier adapted to be secured to thesliding door, a latching bolt of greater length than and slidablymounted in the carrier, said bolt provided at one end with an angularlydisposed nose for engagement in the keeper to arrest sliding movement ofthe door in one direction and provided at its other end with anangularly disposed protuberance adapted to engage with a stationarysupport spaced from the support to which the keeper is secured to arrestsliding movement of the door in the other direction, a handle extendingthrough said slot. connected to the bolt and providing means forshifting and turning the latter, said carrier provided with spaced meansfor receiving said handle for latching he bolt in selected shiftedposition, said nose.

extending in an opposite direction with respect to the. direction inwhich the protuberance extends, said protuberance provided with a notch.and a latching member pivotallv supported from. one end of the carrierand provided with a flange coacting with said notch to prevent theturning of the bolt from latching position until the latching member isshifted clear of the protuberance. I

4. A sliding door latch comprising a keeper adapted to be secured to astationary support, a carrier provided intermediate its ends withlengthwise extending slot, said carrier adapted to be secured to thesliding door, a latching bolt of greater length than and slidablymounted in the carrier, said bolt provided at one end with an angularlydisposed nose for engagement in the keeper to arrest sliding movement ofthe door in one direction and provided at its other end with anangularly disposed protuberance adapted to engage with a stationarysupport spaced from the support to which the keeper is secured toarrestsliding movement of the door in the other direction, a handle extendingthrough said slot, connected to the bolt and providing means forshifting and turning the latter, said carrier provided with spaced meansfor receiving said handle for latching the bolt in selected shiftedposition, a counterbalanced, flanged locking member pivotally supportedfrom one end of the carrier and coacting with said protuberance toarrest shitting movement of the bolt until the latching member isshifted clear of the protuberance.

5. A sliding door latch comprising a keeper adapted to besecuredtoasupport, a slotted carrier adapted to be secured to the sliding doorand provided at its inner end with an upstanding extension, a latchingbolt of greater length than and slidably mounted in said carrier andhaving its outer end formed with an angularly disposed nose forengagement in the keeper to arrest sliding movement of the door in onedirection, said bolt provided at its other end with a notch and a rightangularly disposed protuberance, said protuberance adapted to engagewith a stationary support to arrest sliding movement of the door in theother direction, a handle carried by the bolt and extending through theslot of the carrier, a pivoted latching member supported from saidextension and coacting with said notchto prevent release of the boltfrom latching position until the latching member moves clear of thenotch, and said carrier provided with spaced means for receiving saidhandle for latching the bolt in selected shifted positions.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature hereto.- I

p HENRY J SPENCER.

